Sapphire

Fifteen years after the publication of Push, one year after the Academy Award winning film adaptation, Sapphire gives voice to Precious s son, Abdul In The Kid bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push s unforgettable heroine, Precious.A story of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul, The Kid bringsFifteen years after the publication of Push, one year after the Academy Award winning film adaptation, Sapphire gives voice to Precious s son, Abdul In The Kid bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push s unforgettable heroine, Precious.A story of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul, The Kid brings us deep into the interior life of Abdul Jones We meet him at age nine, on the day of his mother s funeral Left alone to navigate a world in which love and hate sometimes hideously masquerade, forced to confront unspeakable violence, his history, and the dark corners of his own heart, Abdul claws his way toward adulthood and toward an identity he can stand behind.In a generational story that moves with the speed of thought from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday from a troubled Catholic orphanage to downtown artist s lofts, The Kid tells of a twenty first century young man s fight to find a way toward the future A testament to the ferocity of the human spirit and the deep nourishing power of love and of art, The Kid chronicles a young man about to take flight In the intimate, terrifying, and deeply alive story of Abdul s journey, we are witness to an artist s birth by fire.

Recent Comments "The Kid"

I'm not sure why Sapphire insists on writing her characters at the absolute expense of the reader's patience. I disagree with those who rated this book with one or no stars because it wasn't "hopeful" like Push. How in the WORLD can anyone think Push was hopeful? Because she learned to read and hate herself a little less? That's supposed to be hopeful? Please! It wasn't. I also think it's rather self-indulgent and a bit ridiculous to expect the protagonist of this novel to become someone who did [...]

This book is awful. It takes the kitchen sink approach used in Push (everything bad that can happen to the protagonist does.) But in The Kid, Sapphire removes the heart and characterization that made Push shine in spite of the bleakness of the subject matter. Abdul is a cipher. His motivations are a mystery. And while the opening sequence broke my heart, I quickly lost sympathy as Abdul grew into a sociopath and rapist. He is a monster, and impossible to root for. His supporting characters fare [...]

What a terrible, awful book. It's not the writing. Sapphire's writing is amazing. But Abdul is such a terrible, unlikeable, awful person. And being in his head is so disturbing and unsettling, and that is why this is such a terrible book.My friend Kassie wrote a review over on BlogHer that I agree with completely. This is nothing more I can add to what she's put so well. Please visit her review here.As Kassie put it, "[T]hese lessons don’t make for easy reads. This is not a book I would read a [...]

Once again, Sapphire put me through pure reading hell and once again, it was totally worth it! If you can stand reading page after page of violence and rape and manipulation, you will be rewarded with a new understanding of the cycle of rage and rape. Maybe that doesn't sound appealing, but I promise you The Kid is an enriching read. The Kid follows Abdul (AKA JJ) from age 9 to about 19. He is at best, an antihero, who is possessed by sexual demons and night terrors as well as a deep appreciatio [...]

It amazes me that many reviewers of this book are disappointed because this work isn't uplifting, hopeful, redeeming, etc. It further astounds me that readers feel as though The Kid "rapes the memory of Push". First, these are two separate books. Yes, there is a bond between them of Precious, but she is not a living, breathing character in The Kid. She is alive only as much as she is remembered by Abdul/JJ. This is not her story, it is her son's. I, personally, don't find Push that uplifting. Bu [...]

This IS a DNF book, and the full length explanation of why I chose to set this one aside was originally written up for my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing. The Kid by Sapphire is a novel I really should have liked. I read and reviewed Push on the blog last year (click to read my review) and while I can't say that I loved the book, I definitely understood the point and was left with an overall feeling of purpose. The Kid, however, did not leave me feeling any of that. I am not going to [...]

This is the absolute worst, most nauseatingly horrific book I have ever read. I'd give it negative stars if I could. This is the story of Precious Jones' son, and while her story of abuse and her rise above it was inspiring and heart-wrenching, this was no more than a glorification of pedophilia and sexual abuse.It is no surprise that many victims turn perpetrator when they are finally big enough to dominate others, but the protagonist seemed to revel in his abuse, take pride in what he did to o [...]

I have mixed feelings about this book but overall am going to give it a very good rating. Sapphire is a writer, she takes the reader through alot of emotions as we follow the hellish life of Precious son, Abdul. At the age of nine, Precious dies from HIV and life changes forever for her son. He goes from boarding with a friend of Precious to a foster home. While in the home he suffers abuse and after an injury lands him in the hospital, he is taken to St. Ailanthus, a Catholic orphanage. There h [...]

I read Push for a class. While I can't say I would have ever voluntarily picked it up, I lost count of how many times I looked up a passage for the paper I was writing and found myself, yet again, at the end of the book. This, however, I just didn't care for. I picked it up at the library, largely because Sapphire had created such a compelling character in Precious that I really wanted to know what happened next, seeing as how this was the sequel and all. I have to admit that it really bothered [...]

It took me a long time to figure out how to review this novel, and a long time to figure out exactly what I thought of it. Make no mistakes--this is not an enjoyable book in any way, shape or form. But it is an extremely brave piece of writing, a remarkable novel, and an important story which, in my opinion, needed to be told. Sapphire took a huge risk with this one and, while The Kid has gotten largely negative reviews, I feel that this bold novel is absolutely a triumph.For those who have read [...]

I'm going to be completely honest here. This book needs to simmer for a while longer before it is published. The base story is incredible, the ride is harrowing - but it loses a lot of it's power in some of the scatter.Written in first person, as was "Push", you are taken right into the mind of her son right after she dies. He is young, he is swept into a foster home with little understanding of the implications or his future or why he can't have his stuff. He is dissociated on his mother's deat [...]

Still reeling from this book. Interestingly enough, I feel I have a better understanding for the fluidity, repetitiveness and paranoia of an insane persons' thoughts. The writing *is* excellent, but it is a mentally exhausting read. Sapphire definitely has a gift, but I would not recommend THE KID to anyone without warning them about the disturbing content. Before reading THE KID, I had heard it was a story about a dancer with a troubled past. I love dance, and can handle 'troubled' stories - or [...]

I am forever scarred from reading this book. I have read many books in my life, but none have caused me so much pain, anguish, and terror as this one. I loved Push because despite the horror of Precious' life, the ending was uplifting and hopeful. This, book, however provides nothing but agony and damage. Why Sapphire would choose to create a life like this for Precious' son is beyond belief. I know that I cannot be the only reader who questions Sapphire's motives for writing this book; she has [...]

Worst. Book. Ever?The Kid, which I had to FORCE myself to finish, gets zero stars. I'm stunned to discover it had an editor, the story was so bad. If I could be the editor now that it's published (inexplicably), here would be some of my notes:1. Consider making at least one of the characters likable. Like maybe the main character. 2. Consider making at least one of the characters a non-cliche.3. The kid's great-grandmother barely talks to him his whole life and then lays out her life story for h [...]

This is the bleakest book I've ever read. Bar none. The author doesn't just break your heart. She rips it out of your chest, stamps it with her boot, and then rubs your face in it. There's not a glimmer of hope, no hint of redemption. Just ugliness.The book starts with Precious dying of AIDS, and Abdul taken to foster care where he is repeatedly physically and sexually abused. In graphic detail. Over and over again.More disturbing is that Abdul himself becomes an abuser and rapist against other [...]

The Kid was a book that of course, was highly advertised as an "epic follow up to Push", (the acclaimed story of "Precious" and her struggles). I received this book as a birthday gift and eagerly tore into the pages expecting a harrowing tale of a boy left orphaned by the death of his HIV+ mother and a journey of growth and struggle escaping the ghetto life he was destined for.Instead, this book disappointed me, disgusted me and even made me shut the pages and put the book down several times. Th [...]

SPOILERS AHEADJust like his father/grandfather and his great grandfather, Abdul becomes a rapist but constantly denies he is anything but a great kid. I like that Sapphire shed a light on his great grandmother because we can see that the system failed that entire family. Here is a mini flow chart:-Tootsie Johnston - Originally from the south and was abandoned by her mother. Was raped at the age of 9/10 and gave birth to Mary. Not loving towards Mary in anyway and even tried to kill her once. Nam [...]

Just totally unsatisfying. I loved Push and had wanted the best for Precious, but this book just took Precious's struggle and stomped it into nonexistance. Precious wanted to shield Abdul from the life she had endured, but at the end it was all for nothing. I had to slog through this book, force myself to finish because I don't like to give up on books. But this was just a wasted read. I couldn't make sense of Abdul's thoughts, tell fantasy from reality, or even bring myself to like him. This bo [...]

This is a hard book to review. The sexual violence in this novel is so raw and disturbing that I'd have a hard time recommending it to anyone. Stylistically, the stream of consciousness narrative - especially when the protagonist is younger, 9 and 13 - reads annoyingly gratuitous for long stretches at a time. On the other hand, the book makes such an important point about the systematic and layered vulnerability to physical and psychological violence confronting kids, especially those of a racia [...]

I made it only to about page 65 in this one, so no star rating from me because I don't have enough basis. Too much abuse, bad language, things that are too hard for me to read. I don't usually have a problem with bad language and can soldier on through the violent and rough parts of a book, even gravitate towards some horror, some very dark books, but this one hurt me to read. The author's book Push on which the movie Precious was based, was also an emotionally hard read, but I thought it was ex [...]

Clearly, one of the most disturbing stories I have ever read. The writing was tricky to say the least, the story jumped all over and there were too many run-on thoughts for my liking.I love agonizing stories. This delivered. But not really my style.

A very thought-provoking and engaging book. But ultimately confusing and some what unsatisfying. This is a sequel to Push, Sapphire's 1996 novel which was made into the 2009 movie Precious. While you can read The Kid without having read Push, I'd do them in order. If you have not read Push, or seen Precious, this review will have spoilers.Push ends as as the main character leaves her abusive life behind and creates a new life with her toddler son, Abdul. The Kid begins when Abdul is 9 and his mo [...]

The sequel to Sapphire's "Push," which became the acclaimed movie "Precious," tells of what happened to Precious's son, Abdul, after her passing. Orphaned at nine, Abdul is taken from one abusive (to put it mildly) environment to the next, hardening him and distorting much of his sense of reality.It's not a book that one enjoys, really, and it's a difficult book to review. I'm sure, sadly, there are real-life stories just like Abdul's that should be told and brought attention to, but it still fe [...]

First off, the rating I really want to give this book is 2.5, but since doesn't allow that, I'd say it has to be closer to 2 stars. This novel was hard to read. Because of its stream-of-consciousness-style and because of the rough (at times PERVERTED) content. Abdul, the main character doesn't get any breaks in life. After his mother Precious finally succumbs to AIDS when he is 9 years old, he is put into foster care and every horror that kids in "the system" are known to endure, Abdul contends [...]

Hard to believe, but this was more violent, more sickening, more bleak than it's predecessor "Push". I was horrified in the beginning and then angry and finally depressed by The Kid's story. In my work as an RN and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) I touched on the nightmare lived by children in "the system"; the abuse and neglect and torture they suffered first from blood-family and then from foster-family. Family history and individual identity become too horrific to live with. These damage [...]

I had so many expectations for this book because it was the sequal to Push, which I loved so much! Sapphire outdid herself with Push and brought Precious Jones into your heart and you were rooting for her and felt so bad for her This story began with Precious's funeral. It was to be expected, but still sad and Abdul her son was destined to have a hard life by the way he came into the world. The book was sad, it was raw, it was shocking at times, at times it was confusing. It was a very depressin [...]

I was not disappointed that Abdul did not change his ways, but the fact that I began to think "OKAY, I GET IT sexual abuse now let's move on" was not good. To put it simply, I thought the narration was awkward and that the graphic aspects of the book were just a tad TOO MUCH. It seemed as though if someone had not been sexually abused, that they had sexually abused someone in their past. The "rape" presented in the book was thrown into the reader's face FAR too much, as I said, the intensity lev [...]

This is not an easy book to read. Much like her previous book Push (the basis for the movie Precious) it is graphic. The Kid picks up not quite where Push ends with Precious dying of complications from AIDS. Abdul her son is nine. With no other family in sight he is introduced into the foster care system. From here on in Abdul is both victim and perpetrator of horrible acts of violence. He is both victim of rape and rapist. His voice is at once wizened and juvenile. The book is jarring as it mov [...]

The book was beyond disturbing for me. I only read the whole thing because I kept waiting for Abdul to redeem himself. While "Push" was a difficult read, there was hope alive within the novel. This book was just shock for shock's value. Abdul had no redeeming qualities and believed that because he was a victim, that gave him the right to victimize others. He had no remorse. And, the end of the book still has me completely confused. I have no idea what happened! Much of the book was confusing bec [...]

This is the deal, I loved Push by Sapphire and was interested in reading The Kid by the same author. Of course, Push was difficult to read in places but I could "stomach" it becuase it was a beautiful story and well written. However, I had to quit reading the Kid at page 53. I cannot finish this book and would NOT recommend this to book to anyone. The violence in so horrific and so ghastly that my stomach actually did a flip and I felt ill. The sad part is that the horrendous and sick (nearly po [...]